Disclaimer: Marvel owns all the characters, save Alec.
Ultimate X-men: Strings
X Baltimore, Maryland
Alec Cerveau walked home from a play down the block from his apartment. The winter air whipped the scarf around Alec's neck behind him. Steam escaped from his lips as he sighed in discontent with the play's performance.
A single car passed by on the lonely road. Alec fished through his pockets for a lighter and a cigarette. He lit it and took a hit. The smoke warmed his centered lip ring, helping keep off the chill. He stopped walking and took another drag on his cigarette.
"You're not very good at spying, Nightcrawler."
The demon teleported in front of the boy. "How did you know it vas me?"
"I recognize the sound. Saw you on the news a couple months ago, with that girl, Alison."
"Oh." The German's tail swung around his blue body.
"So why are you here?" Alec asked, knocking off some ash from his cigarette.
"You know about Xavier's school, ja?"
"Yes."
"Ve vould like you to join," he replied with a toothy grin.
"No."
"Vhat?"
"I'm not going with you," he answered coldly, walking past Nightcrawler.
The man looked at the retreating body, muttering in German before teleporting away.
Alec walked up the stairs to his apartment, crushing his burned-out cigarette at the door. He pulled out his keys and unlocked the door.
He threw his coat on the back of his couch and turned on the television. Going to his fridge, he pulled out a container of blackberries. Alec popped one in his mouth before going back to sit on the couch.
The news was mostly about the threat Magneto had explained a week earlier. It showed that the number of Brotherhood mutants was growing. Alec snorted, a general of the army stating that all mutants were conjoined with Magneto.
The air changed as his front door opened. A man in a wheelchair and a tall woman with grey-white hair came through the threshold.
"Alec Cerveau?" The man asked, holding his hand out. The boy shook it.
"It is an honor, Professor. I trust your friend already told you the news."
"Yes, he had. But I had come to try and convince you otherwise."
Alec sighed. "I'm sorry, sir. But I'm afraid you would not like me to be a part of the X-men."
"Why do you think that, son?"
"I believe that my powers would… frighten your students." Alec sat down, his index against his temple.
"The school is used to bizarre abilities," the tall women replied.
The three sat in silence for a while. Alec sucked on another blackberry.
"What is the other reason?" Alec asked the Professor. Xavier sighed.
"There are rumors of the Hellfire Club looking for a boy with the same last name as you, Cerveau."
Alec got up and walked to the large window of the room. Street lights dotted the horizon and the X-jet sat in the nearby park. He looked up at the night sky, the stars mimicking the street lights.
"How much can I bring?"